Issue 13: Jan - Association of Muslim Professionals

lified
ISSUE
13
J AN
MAR
2012
A Quarterly Newsletter by the Association of Muslim Professionals
Happy
Anniversary
AMP!
Promoting
the Spirit of
Entrepreneurship
WOWing
the Youths
The Secret to
Success
MICA (P) 192/11/2011 ISSN 1793-8694
WHAT’S in STORE
01 Happy Anniversary AMP!
03 Promoting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship
04 Get Ready for School!
05 Becoming Sherlock Holmes
06 Grooming Aspiring Entrepreneurs
06 Leadership Renewal
07 Managing Credit Wisely
07 Developing a Community of Young Entrepreneurs
08 Fatherhood and its Role in the Family
08 WOWing the Youths
09 The Secret to Success
11 Never Give Up
EDITORIAL LINE-UP
13 Marketplace
13 Highlights
Supervising Editor
Mohd Anuar Yusop
Editor
Winda Guntor
Subeditor
Ruzaidah Md Rasid
Contributors
Amalina Sujak
Aspalela Mohd Salleh
Fauziah Rahman
Harith Hajiah Najmudin
Mariam Mustaffa
Muhammad Sirajuddin Jamat
Norsiah Rejab
Nuramalina Abdul Ghani
Nureliza Hamzah
Nur Liyana Yunos
Shahjehan Ibrahim Kutty
Sharifah Nur Huda Zuhairah Hussien
For advertising enquiries, please email
winda@amp.org.sg.
We welcome feedback, comments and suggestions on
the articles that appear in AMPlified. Please address
your correspondence to winda@amp.org.sg.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
Winda Guntor
Photography
Muhammad Sirajuddin Jamat
Shazana Sharif
Siti Izyan Hussain
Dear Readers
ISSUE
Last year was truly a memorable year for us in AMP, having celebrated our
20th anniversary with the community. The celebrations culminated in the
anniversary dinner we held on 23 October, which saw the former Chairmen of
AMP, directors, activists, volunteers, partners and sponsors, whom had been
a part of AMP over the years, coming together for the first time. It was indeed
a night to remember as old friends met up with each other, exchanged stories
about the good old days and celebrated AMP’s achievements and successes
over the last two decades.
This year will prove to be equally interesting as we embark upon the new
year with new leadership at the helm. Six new directors were elected into the
AMP Board of Directors at the 20th Annual General Meeting held in December
last year. The new Board subsequently appointed Mr Azmoon Ahmad as the
Chairman of AMP, replacing Mr Mohd Nizam Ismail, who stepped down to
focus on the AMP Convention that will be held this year. You can find the new
list of directors on Page 6.
The AMP Convention will be the biggest event AMP organises this year; it will
chart the strategic direction for the community over the next ten years and
will highlight breakthrough strategies to catalyse the community’s progress
and to close existing gaps with other communities. We have in place a team of
professionals who have tirelessly lent their expertise to develop strategies for
the Convention since the planning process began more than two years ago.
We anticipate an interesting and dynamic exchange of ideas among all the
participants at the Convention in June this year.
We look forward to the new opportunities and challenges that the new year
will bring us and hope that we will have your continued support throughout
the year.
Mohd Anuar Yusop
Executive Director, AMP
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
13
J AN
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2012
EVENTS
The cake-cutting ceremony was led by Emeritus Senior Minister,
Mr Goh Chok Tong, together with AMP’s former Chairmen.
A
n
y
n
i
p
v
p
e
rs a rH
a
y
H
by Nuramalina Abdul Ghani
On 23 October 2011, the doors of Orchid Country Club’s Grand Ballroom opened to a night
full of nostalgia as AMP, together with a crowd of more than 400 guests, reminisced the
organisation’s 20-year journey with the community. It was also a night to remember as it
was the first time in 20 years that all former Chairmen of AMP, founding members,
activists, volunteers, community, government and corporate partners and donors came
together to celebrate the successes and achievements of the Association.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
An array of mesmerising performances by Zubir Abdullah, Taufik Batisah
and the MERCUTM preschoolers entertained our guests.
pg
01·02
g
si
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ws
bro
The curtains were raised to speeches by Emeritus Senior
Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong and Mr Mohd Nizam Ismail, then
th
ro
Bu
Chairman of AMP. Mr Goh’s speech highlighted the cornerstone
ug
o
cr
ht
i
moments for AMP during its formative years and spurred on AMP to
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cra
y th
b
ft a n
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contribute to solving national issues while allowing youths to play a greater
d food items prepare
role in the community. Mr Nizam’s speech drew the crowd’s attention to the
upcoming Convention in 2012, as AMP continues its efforts to be the conscience of
the community, to push boundaries and create breakthrough strategies for its progress.
pa
r tic
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ipa
G ue
!
P
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A
n ts.
J AN
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2012
The guests were also treated to an array of captivating performances comprising the adorable MERCUTM preschoolers whose dance
moves tugged their heartstrings; renowned gambus player, Zubir Abdullah, who treated the crowd to his traditional music; and the suave
Singapore Idol, Taufik Batisah, who crooned his songs to the audience.
It was indeed a memorable night for many who were present as they joined AMP in celebrating its progress over the years and the
dedicated individuals who had made it possible.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
EVENTS
The Learning Festival is back! This time, the biennial event was held at Republic
Polytechnic’s spacious Agora Hall on 26 November 2011 and was set to sow the
seeds of entrepreneurship especially in the younger individuals. Themed Promoting
the Spirit of Entrepreneurship, the 7th Learning Festival provided a platform for 400
parents and children to uncover the different concepts of entrepreneurship, and
promote parental involvement in their children’s creative learning process through
non-conventional methods.
The spirited young entrepreneur, Muhammad
Ahshik, addressed the attentive crowd of both
young and old.
PROMOTING
THE SPIRIT
OF
There were twelve activity booths to engage the participants, which incorporated
various components of entrepreneurship such as product planning and
development, marketing and presentation, budgeting, seizing opportunities,
risk-taking and investment, as well as networking. The crowd’s favourite was the
Giant Family Snakes & Ladders, where families had to complete the game together,
which also came with a giant die. Other popular booths included Sculpting an
Angry Bird, Hankie Bunny, and Junior Cookie MasterChef.
One of the main highlights of the Festival was the talk given by young entrepreneur
and innovator, Muhammad Ahshik, the son of well-known local entrepreneur,
Abang Abu. The 15-year-old delivered an inspiring talk, which chronicled his
business endeavours at a young age, as well as provided business-related tips to
the audience.
It is hoped that the three-hour Festival spurred the participants to learn more
about entrepreneurship and utilise the simple skills they had picked up during the
event to kickstart their interest in setting up a business of their own as a way to
earn supplementary income.
by Amalina Sujak
Parents also benefited in learning more about
entrepreneurship at the ‘Financial DNA’ booth.
The happy participants of the life-sized
‘Giant Family Snakes & Ladders’ game.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
The children honed their marketing
and presentation skills at the Junior
Cookie MasterChef booth.
GET READY
by Aspalela Mohamad Salleh
FOR SCHOOL!
AMP’s annual Ready for School (RFS) Fund Disbursement Ceremony took place at the Republic Polytechnic on 26 November 2011,
where more than 2,200 students from low-income families received brand new school essentials. The official disbursement
ceremony, which started at 2.00 pm, was held in conjunction with the inaugural disbursement of the MERCU Bursary Awards, an
initiative by AMP’s subsidiary, MERCUTM Learning Point. Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar, Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC, graced
the event as Guest of Honour.
Students from preschool to post-secondary levels received AMP’s assistance in the
form of the Ready for School Pack, while those from the tertiary institutions received
the AMP Education Bursary. The RFS Packs, worth between $95 and $110 each,
contained a school bag, school shoes, socks, water bottle, stationery and book
vouchers. Students were also provided with cash reimbursement for their school
uniform purchases. The AMP Education Bursary worth $500 and $1,000 was also
awarded to a total of 35 polytechnic and university students respectively.
More than 2,200 students turned up to collect
the RFS Pack and AMP Education Bursary at
the disbursement ceremony.
At the same ceremony, MERCUTM also awarded the top 70 academic achievers from
Primary 3 to Secondary 5 with cash awards worth between $200 and $500, in hope
that these will help defray some of the students’ education expenses and encourage
them to excel further in their studies. MERCUTM is set to continue disbursing this award
in the coming years to deserving students as they believe that education is an
important enabler in pushing the community forward.
Both AMP and MERCUTM would like to thank all of its individual and corporate donors
for their support towards this event. It is hoped that the new school essentials and cash
awards will spur the students to pursue their educational endeavours with confidence.
The children had their feet measured before
collecting their new school shoes.
A group shot of some of the recipients of AMP’s Ready for School Pack.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
pg
03·04
J AN
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2012
EVENTS
BECOMING
SHERLOCK
H LMES
by Nureliza Hamzah
This was the lasting impression that the 125 students from AMP’s Youth Enrichment
Programme (YEP) had of the three-day Camp Mystery they attended, which focused on
equipping them with problem-solving and decision-making skills. Held at the Le Grandeur
Palm Resort in Johore, Malaysia, from 28 to 30 November 2011, the camp saw participants
going through fun-filled experiential learning activities that were uniquely different.
Just like the well-known fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, the participants had to
put on their thinking caps as they immersed themselves into a world of mystery, in
trying to uncover the identity of an ‘assailant’ through a set of clues provided over two
days. Another exciting feature of the camp was the Trail Blazer Race, where the
participants were grouped into twelve teams to undergo a series of challenging
activities such as Fruits Reminder, a memory skills game; Trusted Friend, a teamwork
activity; and 3 Mats Walking, a problem-solving challenge. Even though they had to brave
a sudden downpour, all the teams displayed effective leadership, team work, clear
communication and worked hard together to complete the course.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
The participants honed their teamwork
through the ‘Spiderman Show’ activity
The groups demon
stra
ted
the
ir
ne
w
ough solidarity.
e thr
enc
fid
on
dc
un
fo
The outcome of the camp was remarkably positive. Not only did the participants
go home with an appreciation for their newfound confidence and abilities,
they had also forged new friendships with each other through positive
bonding during the camp. The mentors, who were also facilitators
during the camp, relished the journey they had with their students.
Mohamed Bazli Mohamed Ibrahim, one of the mentors from Bukit
Merah Secondary School, posted this on our Facebook
(www.facebook.com/belia.amp) wall:
The participants learnt to bond and forge
trusting relationships through activities like
the ‘Trusted Friend’.
For the second year running, the Enterprise Development Centre at the Singapore
Malay Chamber of Commerce & Industry (EDC@SMCCI) extended its expertise in
providing support to AMP’s Micro Business Programme, with its value-added business
consulting services. The technical business advice they had rendered benefited the
48 aspiring entrepreneurs, who graduated from the programme in a ceremony held
on 26 November 2011.
The participants received their certificates of completion from then Chairman of AMP,
Mr Mohd Nizam Ismail, as a culmination of the seven-month programme, where they
were trained in the areas of their business choice and IT. Three outstanding
participants were awarded a capital grant of $1,000 each, for presenting viable
business models that showed the highest potential to expand. The valedictorian for
this year’s graduating batch, Mdm Juliyah
Hasar, was invited onstage during the
graduation ceremony to share her
experience in setting up her rempeyek (a
Malay snack) business. During her speech,
the 45-year-old recollected her humble start
a year ago and shared her future aspirations
to further expand the business.
AMP wishes the graduates the best in their
business endeavours and hope that they will
be a part of a growing pool of successful
entrepreneurs in the community.
pg
05·06
J AN
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2012
Mdm Juliyah Hasar, the valedictorian of this
year’s batch, shared her journey through the
programme at the graduation ceremony.
A group shot of the graduates of AMP Micro Business Programme 2011.
by Mariam Mustaffa
RENEWAL
by Winda Guntor
AMP held its 20th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 3 December 2011 where its
members elected six new directors into the AMP Board of Directors (BOD). Following
that, the newly elected BOD appointed Mr Azmoon Ahmad as its Chairman, in line with
the process of leadership renewal within AMP. Mr Azmoon replaces Mr Mohd Nizam
Ismail, who stepped down as Chairman to focus on AMP’s 3rd Convention this year.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
The new AMP BOD line-up is as follows:
1 Mr Azmoon Ahmad – Chairman
2 Dr Ameen Ali Salim Talib
3 Mr Mohd Azhar Khalid
4 Mr Mohd Ismail Hussein
5 Mr Mohd Kamal Mokhtar
6 Mr Mohd Nizam Ismail
7 Mr Mohd Raziff Abdull Hamid
8 Mr Phiroze Abdul Rahman
9 Mr Saktiandi Supaat
10 Dr Syed Muhd Khairudin Aljunied
EVENTS
Managing
Credit
Wi$ely
by Shahjehan Ibrahim Kutty
DEVELOPING
A
COMMUNITY
OF YOUNG
by Muhammad Sirajuddin Jamat
AMP and Berita Harian’s Kelab Ekoniaga
co-organised a seminar on debt management
on 12 November 2011, which was attended
by some 70 participants from all walks of
life. The seminar imparted useful information
on the implications of having credit and the
need to use it sensibly. Additionally, the
seminar also reached out to those in debt
by informing them of the available options
to help them better manage their finances.
The seminar comprised two parts – the
first being an informational talk on the
services provided by Credit Counselling
Singapore (CCS), by Ms Tan Huey Min, the
General Manager of CCS; while the second
talk was conducted in Malay by Mr Sani
Hamid, Director of Financial Alliance. He
touched on how people often get trapped
in debt and quoted several hadiths in
relation to debt in Islam, which struck a
chord with the mainly Muslim audience.
The session ended with the participants
completing a survey on their financial
health, the data for which would contribute
to the information gathering process of
AMP Convention 2012.
Twenty budding entrepreneurs participated in the inaugural Youth Entrepreneurship
Programme developed by the Enterprise Development Centre at the Singapore Malay
Chamber of Commerce & Industry (EDC@SMCCI), supported by Young AMP and
MENDAKI Club. The intensive eight-week programme, which aims to promote
entrepreneurship among youths, exposed the participants to the many facets of
business management and operations. They also had the opportunity to be mentored by
the professionals from EDC, and gained valuable insights from renowned seminar
leaders and corporate consultants such as Mr Tom Abbott of Soho Sales Coaching and
Ms Pamela Wigglesworth of Experiential LLP. The topics covered during the workshop
sessions include marketing, finance and communication management. The programme
ended with the participants presenting their business plans to a panel of judges, where
they received constructive feedback and recommendations that would help them
develop a bankable business plan so that they would be able to secure the available
grants to realise their ideas.
A pair of participants presenting their
business plans during the concluding
session of the programme.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
INSPIRASI@AMP closed its series of
Counsellors’ High Tea sharing sessions
last year with a talk on Fathering in Islam
by invited speaker, Ustaz Muhammad
Tarmizi Bin Abdul Wahab from Safinah
Institute, a religious training centre. The
topic had attracted helping professionals
who, in their daily work, may have seen
cases of absent fathers, as well as families
with marital challenges when the fathers
fail to perform their responsibilities. The
role of fathers in our family system today
has long surpassed that of merely a
breadwinner. While mothers are generally
regarded as primary caregivers, fathers
are also a source of hope for the family to
realise their visions
and aspirations.
by Norsiah Rejab
pg
07·08
J AN
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2012
Ustaz Tarmizi quoted many inspirational stories, which instilled values in a father’s role, as well as
discussed the obligations and responsibilities of parents, while referring to many exemplary figures in
Islam. He also touched on the pressures of fatherhood, given that it could be a great challenge for some
fathers to provide adequately for their child, and to be a good role model for him/her. He concluded the
session with his own experience of being a father, and how his nine-month-old daughter has been his
source of inspiration to achieve greater heights in life so as to provide a better environment for his family.
Ustaz Tarmizi sharing his insights on fathering in Islam to a
group of professionals from the social service industry.
by Sharifah Nur Huda Zuhairah Hussien
Young AMP launched its latest initiative, Project Windows on Work (WOW), in December
last year, aimed at developing students holistically by providing them with opportunities
to pick up useful project management skills and an understanding of the basic
principles of business.
The first phase of WOW kicked off with a two-day programme on 3 and 4 December 2011
where the students underwent useful training sessions which included personality
profiling, CV writing, personal grooming, effective communication as well as project
presentation skills. Each team was evaluated for each activity and the top three teams
were awarded with a free stay in the residential suites of United World College East for
the second phase of WOW, which was held from 16 to 18 December.
The second phase of the project saw the teams working together to critically evaluate
an existing business and recommend strategies for the business to expand locally,
overseas and virtually.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
A group shot of the participants during the
first training session of Project WOW.
The youths benefited from the useful skills to
prepare them for their future career endeavours.
THOUGHT
THE
TO SUCCESS
by Harith Hajiah Najimudin
The recent release of PSLE results saw a Malay girl, Natalia Nadila Muhammad Nasir,
entering the top echelon of the academic arena with an aggregate score of 280, a
hair’s breadth away from that of the top student in Singapore, which was 283. What is
interesting is that Natalia is the younger sister of Natasha Nabila, who attained the
highest PSLE score ever at 294 points. This score remains unbeaten till today. Natalia
and Natasha come from a working-class Malay Singaporean family with a technician
father and a housewife mother; a fact that puts to rest the long-standing debate that
Malay students are unable to perform well in academics because they do not have the
financial capacity to pay for tuition classes, assessment books and other additional
study materials, unlike other races who are better off financially. These two girls, who
are the cream of the crop, vividly illustrates that our Malay students have just as much
potential for success in our highly globalised society and rigorous education system as
the rest of the cohort.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
A simple, quick analysis of this pair of sisters and the circumstances that surround
them will distill some essential truths.
1.
Good upbringing is vital for
the success of any child;
pg
09·10
J AN
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2012
The values and principles that comprise good character are embodied by Natalia and
Natasha – both remain humble despite their achievements, attributing their success to
the dedicated efforts of their parents and teachers without taking much credit for
themselves. Natasha even said that she had found her PSLE Science paper ‘tedious’
and that she was worried that she could not score 4A*s. These are surprising
statements to the ears of any observer considering her potential. As AMP’s former
Chairman, Mr Imram Mohamed, had put it, ‘We need role models like Natasha to
motivate other Malay children’.
Both are beyond doubt disciplined individuals with strong resolve and a firm,
deeply-rooted belief that sacrifices made in the short term are worthwhile in the long
run. Both girls had devoted many hours of consistent studying in the run-up to the
PSLE. However, Natasha faced the additional challenge of maintaining her peace of
mind and her focus on the exams whilst shuttling to and fro the Intensive Care Unit of
the hospital where her late grandfather had been admitted a day before her first paper.
Such was her determination for success. Their commendable conscientiousness is
attributed to supportive home environments and good guidance and monitoring by their
parents. Their parents were instrumental in ensuring that their study environment was
conducive and free of distractions like the television. Her extra-curricular involvement
saw her being a prefect and the Captain of her school’s Scrabble Club. She was also an
avid computer gamer. This reflects that parental direction should steer children towards
having excellent time management skills and that a balanced lifestyle involve dedication
to academics while at the same time, participating in recreational and lifestyle
activities. However, what is especially noteworthy is the socio-economic background of
both girls. Natasha did not receive help from a tutor, unlike a vast number of students
gearing up towards the PSLE. This goes to show that students, regardless of financial
background, can excel in the academic arena with a positive outlook, an iron will, the
inculcation of the right values and a firm dedication to their education.
When we do some introspection as a community, we will realise with unequivocal
clarity that there is no genetic disadvantage that will impede us in performing well
academically. There is also no strong evidence to support the claim that you are at a
major disadvantage if you come from a financially-challenged background. Additionally,
just as in the case of any domain, the avenue for success in education is not without
kinks and meanders. Every student and his/her family have intrinsic challenges to face
in life which could possibly jeopardise any prospect of success without proper problem
management. The temptation to deviate from even the most organised programme is
always beneath the surface. If we, as a community, remain focused on this goal of
educational success, and continue working tirelessly towards it, I believe that we can,
and that we will, eventually, produce many more Natasha Nabilas and Natalia Nadilas in
the years to come and hopefully, close the gap between our community and the others.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
Harith Hajiah Najimudin is an Executive Officer with
the Fund Raising Department of AMP. The opinions
expressed in this article are his own.
SPOTLIGHT
by Fauziah Rahman
When Mdm Samaton Kimin, 54, went up on stage to receive the AMP Capital Grant
awarded to her on 26 November 2011 at the AMP Micro Business Graduation Ceremony,
one could not imagine how underneath her calm and cool self lies the years of
countless challenges she had to conquer. Her quest to do whatever it takes within her
means, started when she was only 14 years old. At that time, she had to finish her
mother’s sewing orders when her mother fell ill. Their livelihood then depended on the
completed sewing orders. Today, Mdm Samaton is the proud owner of Dapur Express,
a frozen food supplier of local delicacies and intends to continue expanding her
business in future.
AMPlified recently caught up with Mdm Samaton to recount her challenges and her
experience in participating in the Micro Business Programme.
Mdm Samaton (third, from right) and her family of six.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
pg
11·12
AMPlified: Could you share with us about those difficult moments in your life?
Mdm Samaton: Before my third child was born back in 1985, I was very involved in the home craft business, which my husband and I
had started informally. I conducted dressmaking and culinary classes, and provided wedding-related services such as wedding décor
and make up artistry services. We were doing quite well.
J AN
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2012
When I became pregnant in 1990 and later gave birth to my daughter, she was diagnosed with pulmonary disease due to her
premature lungs and heart formation. My daughter was born at 26 weeks and weighed only a kilogram. Given her condition and the
complications she faced, I had to stay by her side to take care of her for the next two years in the hospital.
During this period, I was rarely home and when I did go home, it would only be to get a
change of clothes. My sons were left with simple food at home and there was once
when the food that was left for them was filled with ants because it was left out in the
open. Thinking back, it breaks my heart as a mother, knowing that my sons too had
suffered the consequences of our circumstances. However, we did not have a choice
back then; all we had in mind was for my daughter to survive her two-year hospital stay.
When she was finally allowed to be discharged, she had to consistently be administered
with oxygen and medication to support her lungs until the age of seven. This was on
top of the many hospital visits we had to make every time the oxygen support failed.
Each day, we would need at least one cylinder of oxygen.
Mdm Samaton (first, from left) with her fellow Micro
Business friends displaying their products at an
exhibition booth.
When my daughter was about three and a half years old, I started to take sewing orders from my former customers while caring for
her. In 1993, with a friend’s help, I took up an ELNA franchise, catering to hobby craft and embroidery services. However, I suffered
from a fractured nape as a result of an accident in 1997 and was advised to stop sewing so that my condition would not deteriorate.
Eventually, I had to close down the franchise. I began to look for new opportunities as I have always believed that one must constantly
try and experience new areas even when one experiences a setback.
AMPlified: What are your future plans?
Mdm Samaton: I had to stop cooking last year, despite it being my passion, as my health is deteriorating. After much consideration
and market research, I decided to put my years of experience in preparing food to good use. My intention was for families to have a
nice home-cooked meal without much hassle, so I developed all sorts of common food pastes like mee soto, mee siam, mee udang,
laksa asam, spaghetti meat sauce, lasagna, rendang, ayam masak merah and many others. Under the business name, Dapur Express,
I am now distributing to two meat stalls and two convenience stores, and I hope to slowly expand my business reach. Through AMP’s
Micro Business Programme, I learnt to package my products and become a better business person even at my age. I take note of every
detail of my business and do not focus only on the food production. My motto is simple: it is always better for us to do something to
improve ourselves, rather than not doing anything at all.
AMP wishes Mdm Samaton the best and hopes she reaps the rewards of her hard work through Dapur Express.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction.
Photos courtesy of Mdm Samaton Kimin
AMPlified: How did you overcome this obstacle?
Mdm Samaton: I started to work under others as a cook and have stayed in this line for over eight years now. I have cooked in a Nasi
Padang stall, an Italian restaurant and also have experience in preparing Mediterranean cuisine. The most challenging hurdle was
when my children started entering university and I had to work two jobs on top of taking on ad-hoc sewing orders for boutiques. I
vividly remember finishing as many sewing orders as I could until 3 in the morning on most days so as to earn additional income to
support my family. I also had to forgo the operations for my intestines and finger recommended by my doctor so I could save up for my
children’s education.
The Padi Empire has its humble
beginnings in 2005, offering spicy
rempeyek (a Malay traditional snack)
to a small group of customers. A
few years later, its owner, Mdm
Juliyah, decided to expand The
Padi Empire’s reach by supplying
rempeyek to heartland shops after
receiving positive feedback from
her customers. Her unique product
offering includes spicy rempeyek
with cashew nuts.
For more information or orders on
products and services, please
contact Juliyah Hasar at
8100 2660 or email
thepadiempire@gmail.com.
THE PADI EMPIRE
Mdm Samaton runs a small scale
home-based business that supplies
fresh frozen food products for the
halal market. Equipped with her
past experience in catering
services, she is now venturing into
frozen pastes of local dishes
including the various types of local
Malay noodles such as mee soto
and mee rebus, as well as western
delights such as lasagna and
spaghetti. Dapur Express offers a
quick but delicious meal for
working individuals and families to
enjoy without affecting their busy
schedules.
For more information or orders on
products and services, please
contact Samaton Kimin at 9374 3875
or email dapurexpress@hotmail.com.
DAPUR EXPRESS
JG Wedding Creations is designed
to create memorable and stress-free
weddings to suit the couple’s unique
style and needs. It also provides
services from venue decorations to
holistic event planning for weddings,
kenduri and doa selamat, anniversary
celebrations, consultancy and
catering services. Customers who
wish to engage its full wedding
preparation services may also
consult JG Wedding Creations for
its wedding-related craft products.
For more information or orders on
products and services, please visit
www.jgweddingcreations.com. You
may also contact Kartini A Gani at
9783 8862 or email
jgweddingcreations@gmail.com.
JG WEDDING
CREATIONS
INSPIRASI@AMP’S RESIPI CINTA
AFYS FAMILY EDUCATION PROGRAMME
FEBRUARY 2012
MARCH 2012
INSPIRASI@AMP will be organising an event aimed at
creating a closer bond between the young couples who
have graduated from its marriage guidance course. Resipi
Cinta (Recipe for Love) will be attended by 15 young couples
who will learn how to prepare appetising, sweet treats such
as chocolates for their partners and families, and discover
their creativity in chocolate artistry. In addition, they will
also be taught basic business and marketing skills to enable
them to start up their own home business and practise
shared responsibilities.
In line with its objectives to cultivate financial stability among
low-income families, AMP’s Adopt a Family & Youth Scheme
(AFYS) is conducting a budgeting programme for the families
under its scheme to cultivate basic money management skills
and good financial values. The programme will also include
practical examples and tips, as well as sharing of experiences and action steps that they can apply in their daily lives.
© Association of Muslim Professionals. Permission is required for reproduction. MICA (P) 192/11/2011 ISSN 1793-8694